Official dates and times are still missing, but the breakdown of Miami Dolphins joint practices is now set.

As suggested here once the Dolphins’ 2025 preseason schedule was finalized, the Dolphins will work with/against the Detroit Lions twice, and once each with/against the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The final confirmation came Friday from Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who said his team would have two practices with/against the Dolphins ahead of their preseason game at Ford Field on Saturday, August 16.

That game will come six days after the Dolphins open their preseason schedule against the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, August 10 and a week before the preseason finale against the Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, August 23.

Since teams do joint practices right before the day off before the game, logic suggests the Dolphins will work with the Bears on Friday, August 8; with the Lions on Wednesday, August 13 and Thursday, August 14; and with the Jaguars on Thursday, August 21.

It’s difficult to envision the Dolphins flying back to South Florida between the game at Chicago and the first joint practice at Detroit, so you can expect the Dolphins to simply stay in the Midwest and either have two days off after the game against the Bears (they’ve done this before) or practice once on their own.

As a reminder, NFL rules limit teams to four joint practices per year, meaning that like last year the Dolphins will work twice with/against one of their preseason opponents and once against the other two.

The Dolphins have never had a joint practice with Jacksonville or Detroit; they worked two days with the Bears in 2021 when Brian Flores was head coach.

The Dolphins last year conducted two joint practices with/against the Atlanta Falcons and one each with/against the Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Dolphins are 4-10-1 all-time against the Bears in the preseason, with the teams’ last meeting in 2021 — the Dolphins lost that game 20-13. This will be the first NFL action for new Bears coach Ben Johnson, who they hired after a successful tenure as the Lions’ offensive coordinator. Johnson also spent seven seasons on the Dolphins staff from 2012 to 2018. 

Speaking of the Lions, the Dolphins will face another former coach in Week 2 of the preseason. Lions head coach Dan Campbell was on the Dolphins staff from 2010 through 2015, including a stint as the interim head coach in 2015. 

Miami is 6-1 all-time against the Lions in the preseason, but the teams haven’t met since 1999.  

Lastly, the Dolphins will play the Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami is 6-5 all-time in the preseason against the Jaguars. The teams played in the preseason finale before the 2023 season, with the Dolphins dropping that game 31-18. However, the Dolphins did beat the Jaguars in the 2024 season opener. 

Like the Bears, the Jaguars are coming into the 2025 season with a new coach. The team hired Liam Coen after his successful tenure as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. It could also be an opportunity for the Dolphins fans to get a look at two-way phenom Travis Hunter. 

Although he likely won’t play because front-line players typically sit out the preseason finale, there’s a small chance Hunter sees the field after the Jaguars traded up to second overall to select the Colorado star. 

More Miami Dolphins Coverage:

Alabama baseball turned to ace pitcher Riley Quick in game one of the Southern Miss regional in Hattiesburg on Friday afternoon. Things did not go to plan for the Tide, and Miami jumped on the pitcher for three runs in the first inning, digging a hole the Tide couldn’t hit their way out of in a 5-3 loss. Alabama will face the loser of the Southern Miss-Columbia game on Saturday at 2 pm CT in an elimination game. Number two-seed Alabama fell to 41-17 on the season with the loss to 3-seed Miami.

Despite a rough start, Alabama had a chance to win the game in the ninth inning against Miami closer Brian Walters when Bryce Fowler reached on an error and star shortstop Justin Lebron was hit by a pitch by Walters. Outfielder Kade Snell came up with two on and two out and hit a ball that hung up in the air and was caught on the warning track at the wall just short of a walk-off home run on a 1-0 pitch.

Quick bounced back from his rough start, going six innings, throwing a career-high 108 pitches, but he also gave up a career-high five earned runs in the loss. Matthew Heiberger was excellent in relief, throwing three scoreless innings for the Tide.

Daniel Cuvet crushed a three-run home run in the first to put Miami on the scoreboard, and the Canes added another run in the third on an RBI single by Renzo Gonzalez, putting Miami up 4-0

The Tide answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to a two-run double by Brennan Norton to make it 4-3 Miami.

Max Galvin added a solo home run in the top of the 5th to put the Canes up 5-3. AJ Ciscar walked only one batter over seven innings while striking out eight Alabama players.

The Tide stranded nine runners on base in the loss, while Miami only left six on. Quick’s five walks loomed large as well as Miami had only eight hits in the game. Miami’s pitching allowed only seven hits and only two walks.

Alabama fell to 1-13 this season when trailing after seven innings. Miami improved to 26-1 when leading after eight innings this season.

Controversy is brewing in the Village of Palmetto Bay, where some residents and councilmembers say a new $400 monthly car allowance offered to elected officials violates the village charter and amounts to an unauthorized pay raise.

The allowance, proposed by the village manager in January, could cost the village up to $24,000 annually if all council members opt in. 

Critics argue it constitutes additional compensation that should require a charter amendment and public input.

Residents say they were left out of the decision

“They’re not listening,” said Palmetto Bay resident Haydee Sanchez.

Sanchez and her longtime neighbor Carol Vega said they were blindsided by the move and believe it’s unfair to taxpayers.

“Basically they’re just giving themselves money,” Vega said. “There’s no need. We’re very disappointed.”

“We don’t approve of that,” Sanchez added. “They didn’t run it by us. We didn’t get a chance to vote on it and it’s our money.”

Split among council members over legality and ethics

The village charter provides a $1,000 monthly stipend for council members and the vice mayor and $2,000 for the mayor. Any increase or decrease in compensation must be made through a charter amendment.

While Councilmembers Patrick Fiore and Steve Cody defended the car allowance during an April meeting, others pushed back.

“It’s an item that will attract people to run for office,” Fiore said during the meeting.

Cody added, “(The) City of Miami, their city commissioners make something on the order of $70,000 or $80,000 plus an unaudited expense account. We’re not looking for that.”

Cody also explained his personal need for transportation assistance: “I have to Uber most places because I don’t have a right foot. I can’t operate a gas pedal.”

But not everyone on the dais agreed. District 3 Councilmember Marsha Matson declined the allowance.

“I thought about it and I said no because that’s compensation,” Matson said. “I don’t think that it’s justified.”

Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer also strongly opposed the decision.

“I sent (the village manager) an immediate email afterwards saying how unacceptable it is that administration, without any consultation of the public, without any consultation of the council, was able to put forward essentially a 40% pay increase for council members,” Merwitzer said.

Village attorney responds, residents remain frustrated

Councilmember Fiore responded to CBS News Miami via email, referring all questions to the village manager or attorney. The mayor, Councilmember Cody, and the village manager did not respond to inquiries.

Village Attorney John Dellagloria said in a phone interview that the payments are reimbursement-based and allowed, but he plans to introduce an ordinance to address the concerns.

“Well that’s rich,” said Merwitzer, who has called for the allowances to be revoked.

Residents like Vega and Sanchez remain skeptical.

“The point is that we were not consulted,” Sanchez said.

“(Council and the mayor) were hired for a certain amount of money and I don’t think you just pay yourself more and more.”